Italian sex abuse priest hangs himself in sacristy

An Italian priest who admitted to sexually abusing a young teenage girl hanged himself in the sacristy -- the cleric's changing room in his church -- the diocese of Santa Croce in northern Italy said today.

The priest, 48, who belonged to the Slovenian community in Trieste, had been accused of committing "grave acts" years earlier with a then 13-year-old girl.

He confessed to his bishop Giampaolo Crepaldi that the reports were true and asked for two days to prepare a letter asking for the forgiveness of God, the Church and the victim.

But when Crepaldi arrived yesterday afternoon to officially strip him of his priestly duties and inform him an enquiry would be launched into his actions, he found the priest hanging in the sacristy.